Mobile communication systems were developed to provide the subscribers with voice communication services while on the move. With the rapid advance of technologies, the mobile communication systems have evolved to support high speed data communication services beyond the legacy voice-oriented services. However, the limited resource and user requirements for higher speed services in the current mobile communication system spur the evolution to more advanced mobile communication systems.
As one of the next-generation mobile communication systems to meet such requirements, standardization for a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system is underway in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). LTE is a technology designed to provide high speed packet-based communication of up to 100 Mbps. In order to accomplish the aim, a discussion is being held on several schemes, one scheme for reducing the number of nodes located in a communication path by simplifying a configuration of the network, and another scheme for maximally approximating wireless protocols to wireless channels.
Meanwhile, the data service is characterized in that resources are allocated based on the amount of data to be transmitted and channel state, unlike the voice service. In the wireless communication system such as a cellular mobile communication system, a scheduler manages resource allocation in consideration of the required resource amount, channel condition, and data amount. This holds true even in the LTE system as one of the promising next generation mobile communication standards, and the scheduler implemented in the evolved Node B (eNB) manages transmission resources.
Recently, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) is under discussion as the evolved version of the LTE system with the combination of several new technologies. Also, the Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) is improved in LTE-A. The MBMS is a broadcast service provided through the late system.
There is a need for optimizing the service area for MBMS as well as unicast communication and a method for providing the user equipment (UE) with the MBMS seamlessly.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.